Cantaliver drawbridge



(N M L) 4SheetsSheet 2.

G. M. MORSE & P M. SYLVESTER.

GANTALIVER DRAWBRIDGE. No. 577,443. Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

WITNESSES: INVENTOFIS B) M m M W b- A7TOHNEY.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a 0. M. MORSE & PM. SYLVESTER,

GANTKLIVER 'DRAWBRIDGE.

Patented Feb. 23. 1897.

III [H F W E 2 P #3 m 111 OZMM- W.7 LW vfwfi ii Mnvzssss; INVENTOHS A TTGHNEY.

(No Model.)

. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. 0. M. MORSE & F.-M. SYL'VESTER.

UANTALIVER DRAWB'RIDGE.

No. 577,443. Patented Feb. '23, 1897.

J I ma INVENTOHJ WITNESSES! A TTORNE Y.

-j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. MORSE AND FRANK M. SYLVESTER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CANTALIVER DRAWBRIDG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,443, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed June 24, 1895. Serial No. 553,846. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES M. MORSE and FRANK M. SYLvnsrER, citizens of the United States, and residents of Buffalo, Erie county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oantaliver Drawbridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improved cantaliver drawbridge and method of operating the same.

Referring to the drawings herewith, consisting of four sheets, Figure I is a longitudinal elevation of our cantaliver drawbridge. Fig. II is a longitudinal section of a portion of the same. Fig. III is a top plan view of the foundations, machinery-pit, and source of power. Fig. IV is a detail view of our outboard-rollers, showing our method of anchoring said rollers to the foundations. Fig. V is an end elevation, partly in cross-section, of the same. Fig.VI is a detail view of our trackcloser, as hereinafter more fully described.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

A is the bridge proper, which may be constructed tosuit particular cases.

B is the foundation, upon which and to which the cantaliver is secured.

O is the pier, upon which the opposite end of the bridge rests when in place.

D is an adjustable bearing carrying the rollers c c and pivoted at d. This bearing rests upon the foundation B.

E E are rollers, which are secured to the foundation of the approach F, as hereinafter more fully described.

G G are outboard bearings, which are mounted in journals secured to the box-girder II. (See Figs. IV and V.) Bolts e 6 pass downwardly through the box-girders H and are joined to a rod 1, which is bifurcated at its upper end to engage with the bolts e e by means of a pin f, and the lower end of which is securely anchored into the masonry of the foundation B. In this manner the series of rollers G G are firmly secured to the foundation and rendered vertically adjustable, along with the box-girders H and the bearings for the shafts of the rollers, upon the bolts e e by means of the nuts which are screwed thereupon, these parts being shown in Figs. IV

and V in the lowest position to which they may be adjusted, and by this method we are enabled to keep the bridge in balance by aid of the masonry or other material used for the foundation.

The lower chord O is provided with brackets J, (see Figs. IV and V,) upon which a rail K is mounted and which travels underneath the rollers G G. Upon the under side of said chord O a similar rail is mounted inversely, which travels over the rollers c c and E E.

The approach is constructed of longitudinal girders properly joined and floored, and the outer extreme ends of which are secured to pivoted bearings L, which rest upon the foundations of the approach. Underneath theextreme inner end of said approach are posts M, which, when the approach is depressed, as hereinafter described, rest down Within the foundation of the approach. Secured to these posts M are cables g, which pass over sheaves h, which are journaled in bearings secured to said foundation, and the other ends of said cables 9 are secured to a counterweight c of a weight which will substantially balance the weight of the inner end of the approach. J ournaled to the foundation of the approach are struts N, which, when in the position shown in Fig. II, bear against the under side of the girders of the approach F and hold it in place.

- Underneath the bridge and adjacent to the foundation B is a drum 0, which carries a ca ble j, the ends of which are secured at opposite ends of the lower chord O.

The lateral openings of the approach, within which the rollers E E are situated and within which the lower chord 0 travels, are provided with covers P, which are pivoted to longitudinal supports it, (see Fig. V1,) and which close down over said openings and which are operated by the means shown in Fig. VI. The cover P is secured to lever-arms l, to the outer ends of which are secured cables which pass over drums a and o and'thence back to and over a drum 19. (See Fig. III.)

This drum is mounted upon a shaft g, which is geared to the shaft 4", which connects with the source of power R by any appropriate means.

The struts N N are mounted upon shafts s s, which are connected by a shaft 10 and bevel-v ICO gears, and the one of said shafts adjacent to the source of power R extends without the foundation to a point of easy access and is connected with a lever u, by which said struts may be operated. The said drum 0 is mounted upon a shaft '0, which extends without the foundation and is connected to the source of power B through a friction-clutch w.

S is an adjustable bearing upon the pier 0, upon which the extreme end of the bridge rests when ready for traffic. This consists of a base-plate cc, which is bolted to the pier, and within which the butt-end of a screw y is secured by means of an auxiliary plate 2. This screw is threaded into the bearing T, and by rotating the same said bearing may be adjusted. This adjustable bearing serves another purpose. \Vhen it is desired to adjust the rollers G G, by raising the end of the bridge upon this hearing they are freed from contact with the track.

I11 operation when the bridge is to be drawn the operator first throws the lever 11. and rotates the struts N N down and out of the way of the approach F. Next he applies power to the shaft .5, which rotates the sheaves h, raising the counterweight and depressing the approach F until the post M rests upon the foundation. Next he applies power to the shaft 0, which opens the track-covers P. Then he applies power to the shaft 0; through the friction-clutch w, rotating the drum 0, and drawing the cables j in the direction desired which draws the bridge with it.

The closing of the bridge is substantially the reversal in order of the operations described.

It will be observed that by our cantaliver system and by our system of counterbalancing the bridge to the foundations, and thus making the foundations, which are necessary in any construction, serve as a counterbalance, we are able to dispense with a great amount of weight, to simplify construction, and increase the speed of operation, and at the same time insure the strength and stability necessary to the operation of such structures. By the construction of our approach we render easy, gradual, and safe the grade leading to the bridge, and by the coordination of the several operations the facility and cheapness of operation are enhanced.

Having thus described our invention, and while not limiting ourselves to the specific construction shown, we claim- 1. A drawbridge consisting of a cantaliver span, an abutment and approach, a series of rollers secured to said approach, inverted tracks secured to a chord of said span and calculated to travel upon said rollers, and a second series of rollers anchored to said abutment and adjustable thereto and tracks secured to a chord of said span and calculated to travel underneath said second series of rollers, said span, tracks and series of rollers constituting a draw-cantaliver, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a drawbridge, the combination of a span, tracks secured to chords of said span, the one pair secured invertedly, and the other secured to brackets upon said chord, with an abutment, having a series of rollers secured thereto and calculated to engage with said inverted tracks, and a second series of rollers vertically adjustable and anchored to said abutment and calculated to engage over the other pair of tracks, with a source of power and mechanism for actuating said span, substantially as set forth.

3. In a drawbridge, the combination of a span, provided with upper and lower tracks secured to the chords of said span, an abutment and approach, rollers secured thereto, rollers anchored to said abutment and engaging with the upper rails of said chords, and a second abutment provided with an adj ustable bearing, adjustable to the outer end of said span when in place, with a source of power actuating said span, substantially for the purposes set forth.

4:. In a drawbridge, a span, an abutment, two pairs of tracks secured to said span, a series of rollers secured to said abutment and engaging with one pair of tracks, a second series of rollers adjustably secured to and anchored into said abutment engaging the other pair of tracks, and a depressible approach pivoted at its outer end and depressible adjacent to said span, and means for depressing said approach independent of the action of said bridge, consisting of a source of power and gearing connecting therewith,

and a source of power and gearing actuating said span independently of said approach, substantially as set forth.

5. In a drawbridge, the combination of a span, tracks mounted thereon, an abutment with one series of rollers secured thereto and a second series of rollers adjustably secured to and anchored into said abutment, constituting an adjustable cantaliver, and a source of power and mechanism for actuating said cantaliver, with a depressible approach and mechanism for actuating said approach consisting of a source of power, counterweight,

sheaves and gearing, with a second abutment provided with an adjustable bearing adjustable to the plane of action of said cantaliver,

. substantially as set forth.

6. A drawbridge consisting of a cantaliver span, tracks, abutinents and a series of rollers as set forth, actuated by mechanism connecting said span with a source of power, a depressible approach consisting of a floor system pivoted at its outer end and depressible at its end adjacent to said span, and actuated by gearing connecting said approach with a source of power, track-covers for covering the openings adjacent to said approach and within which the lower chord of said span travels and actuated by a source of power through gearing, substantially as set forth.

7. In a drawbridge, the combination of a levers, cables, drums, and shafting connecting with the source of power, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. A drawbridge comprising a sliding span, an abutment, an approach, a series of rollers E, tracks carried by the span and arranged to travel upon the said rollers, a second series of rollers G, and tracks carried by the span and arranged to travel under the last said series of rollers, substantially as set forth. 9. A drawbridge comprising a span, an abutment, two pairs of tracks secured to said span, a series of rollers Eover which one pair of tracks travel, a second series of rollers G under which the other pair of tracks travel, a depressible approach for the bridge, and means for operating the approach, and for sliding the span, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the invention above set forth we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. MORSE. FRANK M. SYLVESTER.

W'itnesses:

SAMUEL AMES, 0. M. SMITH. 

